The Four Most Important Things To Simplify In Your Life

“That’s been one of my mantras: focus and simplicity…

once you get there, you can move mountains.”

-Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple

Many people think simplicity is blank walls and cold spaces that remind you of a really depressing trip to a doctor’s office. They associate simple with sterile and ultimately… boring.

But really, simplicity isn’t boring at all.

Simplicity is less about throwing away everything you own and much more about intentional living. The truth is, simplicity always means more, not less.

More time to do what you want. More freedom. More functionality. More money. More life.

So with that in mind– that we will experience more of the good that life has to offer– let’s get right to it. Here are the top four areas to simplify to instantly make your life more amazing.

1) Your Time

Your time is the most valuable thing you own. Period. You can always make more money or buy another possession, but time is the one thing that, once given away, never comes back.

Make sure that the people, activities, and events you give your most valuable resource to align with your values and priorities. Keyword: your.

Don’t ever let someone take your valuable time away and tell you how to live your life… not when it’s the most important thing you own.

2) Your Things

Our possessions should be an aide to our lives, not an annoyance. If an object does not make your life more beautiful or useful, toss it. Seriously, ain’t nobody got time for that… and by that, I mean junk, clutter, storage units, filled attics, crowded basements, overflowing garages, and stuffed kids’ rooms.

Seriously, who has time for that? Even if you have the time, aren’t there about 800 million better ways to spend it? I’m saying. When you pair down to what you truly love and need and rid yourself of the rest, you will immediately feel freer, happier, and more in control of your life.

3) Your Thoughts

Teach your mind to focus on the positive. Throw off bitterness, anger, jealousy, gossip, complaining, and anything that just drains the life right from you.

Speak to yourself with the same kindness, love, gentleness, and nurturing that you would give to your very best friend. Focus on things that ignite joy and passion and light you up with excitement. Don’t waste one single thought on things that don’t ultimately make you happier.

4) Your Tasks

Simply put: make things as easy for yourself as possible.

A multitude of research has proven that multitasking is actually impossible and it’s basically just task switching- over and over and over. It’s ineffective and ultimately causes greater stress. Just focus on one thing at a time and your productivity will go through the roof.

Do the things you must do in a way that brings a moment of happiness, even if the task itself isn’t fun. For example, I make my bed – every day. I do a load of laundry – every day. I unload the dishes, vacuum the floors, take out the trash, and a ton of other stuff every. single. day.

And I barely notice anymore. Yes, really!

Why? Because whenever I’m cleaning and straightening and folding, I’m learning. I listen to podcasts and audiobooks and sometimes music (if I wanna get my dance party on).

The big things (boring household tasks) get done while I’m doing something I love— learning, reading, or singing— and I actually end up having fun and feeling accomplished. It’s so awesome.